Favorite Schools

Favorite Teams

Michael Taylor still sizzling, but Harrisburg Senators drop home matinee

Michael Taylor as a National

Harrisburg Senators center fielder Michael Taylor, shown here during Spring Training with the Washington Nationals, has shown why he's one of the Nats' top position players lately. Taylor is 17 for 39 in his last nine games (.436) and has had back-to-back three-hit outings for the Sens.
(AP Photo / Alex Brandon)

Michael Taylor's Double-A debut season remains a thing of beauty, even if the Harrisburg Senators' 2014 campaign hasn't been what the team had hoped for heading into June.

The Sens missed their chance to win a series for only the third time this season when the Erie SeaWolves left Metro Bank Park with a 5-1 matinee victory on Thursday before a student-filled crowd of 5,265.

Erie (23-30) jumped out quickly to a 3-0 lead thanks to a pair of home runs in the first inning off Harrisburg starter Omar Poveda on a rainy and raw day. Brian Jeroloman's solo homer in the third inning provided the only run for the Sens (18-34).

What stood out the most, though, was Taylor, who lashed three hits for the second straight game, raising his average to .315. The 23-year-old outfielder has 17 hits in his last nine appearances and is batting .436 during that stretch.

"It's natural ability and maturity," Sens hitting coach Mark Harris said of Taylor. "I think he's cleaned up some things mechanically from early in the season and cut down on the number of strikeouts.

"It's given him the ability to see the ball longer by sustaining longer at-bats by working deeper counts. He's getting better pitches to hit by showing better discipline in the strike zone."

The modest Taylor shrugged when asked to explain his recent tear.

"Sometimes things just line up and it seems easier," Taylor said. "Yes, I'm feeling good now, but the whole season I feel like I've been pretty blessed to be consistent most nights. I'm grateful for the opportunity I'm getting here."

TURNING POINT

Harrisburg's season-long habit of falling behind in the first inning happened again Thursday. After retiring the first two batters he faced, Poveda surrendered a double to Devon Travis. Steven Moya followed by mashing a 2-1 pitch from the right-hander over the boardwalk in right field for a 2-0 Erie lead.

The next batter, Aaron Westlake, unloaded a moonshot even further out of the park in right, putting the Sens into a 3-0 hole. It was the fifth homer allowed by Poveda in three starts this season.

Reliever Neil Holland served up a two-run shot to Dean Green in the seventh that set the final score at 5-1.

"It wasn't the easiest day to hit, but they hit three homers," Harrisburg manager Brian Daubach said.

SeaWolves' right-hander Jeff Ferrell (4-4) allowed just one run on six hits in seven innings of work. He struck out three and walked one.

Harrisburg wrapped up its seven-game home stand with a 3-4 record and opens a three-game series in Akron, Ohio, against the Western Division-leading RubberDucks on Friday night.

PENNLIVE.COM MVP RACE

1. CF Michael Taylor (2 points) – Reached base all four times he appeared at the plate with a pair of singles, a double and a walk. Only downside was getting thrown out at second base in the first inning when he tried to tag up on a foul out to left.